Saturday, November 21, 2009

Orange County: Spring Awakeining [Revised/Final]

I originally wrote this sitting on the floor of LAX waiting for my flight home to Cleveland via Houston after seeing Spring Awakening. Again. With my Mom.

This was my 6th time in my 3rd state for this show, making it one of few musicals I've seen more than once. When I first bought my ticket for the show in Cleveland I knew nothing of it, and had a box office sales rep try talking me out of it including the phrase "a very, extremely, explicit show".

I saw the show that first time, fell for the music (including some profane titles, let alone lyrics) and it touched me. I saw it again in Cleveland, then once in Pittsburgh, twice in Philadelphia (including once on stage in SA13 -- the best seat in the house), and now once in California.

There were some cast changes since the last time I saw this tour and it felt a little weird -- the Adult Man, in particular caught me off guard... not that it was bad, but kind of like when you put on a new pair of shoes after wearing your familiar pair and it just doesn't seem quite right.

I'll post more later, but my flight is boarding now.

My one huge complaint about this stop was the show seemed to be lacking the energy I've found previously -- maybe it was the weeknight performance, the fact that it was only the 3rd show at this venue, or it could even be California's energy conservation regulations -- but while energetic, it didn't hit the mark. In fact, one of my Mom's comments (the first time she's seen the show) was that it "didn't quite seem to have the energy that it would take to overcome the darkness".

But she also called it "the most depressing thing she's ever seen" -- something I can't agree with... but then again, I still think the line "we've all got our junk and my junk is you" is one of the most romantic lyrics I've ever heard.

The show drew more laughs at more lines for a longer period of time than I've noticed in any of the other cities I've seen the show in. There were some subtle differences -- like I don't think I've ever noticed the cigarette actually being lit.

I was in BB8, she was in BB9, second row house right (stage left) of center which was almost as intimate as the onstage seats--we nearly got hit by a flying reed during the scene leading to All that is known--I loved it, but it was probably a little too close for a first timer to really get a feel for the show.